The invention relates to a method of deploying a fibre-optical cable or other power and/or signal transmission cable through a pre-installed guide conduit in a well.
It is known to pre-install a small guide conduit in the production tubing or in the production tubing/casing annulus of a well and to subsequently pump a fibre optical cable down through the guide conduit.
However, well equipment, such as a downhole electrical submersible pump (known as “ESP”) or a downhole safety or control valve may make it difficult or even impossible to install such a guide conduit.
The present invention aims to overcome the difficulty of installing a fibre optical or other cable and guide conduit in a well which may contain equipment such as an ESP or downhole valves. The present invention also aims to install a guide conduit and cable such that the risk of damage to the cable during the lifetime of the well is minimized.